Schulich School of Engineering Research & Publications

Permanent URI for this collection

https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/100099

Browse

Browsing Schulich School of Engineering Research & Publications by Author "Abuzalat, Osama"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Facile and rapid synthesis of functionalized Zr-BTC for the optical detection of the blistering agent simulant 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES)
    (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021-02) Abuzalat, Osama; Homayoonnia, Setareh; Wong, Danny; Tantawy, Hesham R.; Kim, Seonghwan
    2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) is a simulant for the chemical warfare agent, bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, also known as mustard gas. Here, we demonstrate a facile and rapid method to synthesize a functionalized metal-organic framework (MOF) material for the detection of CEES in trace level. While Zr-BTC is synthesized, in-situ encapsulation of fluorescent material (Fluorescein) into Zr-BTC voids is performed with a simple solvothermal reaction. The produced F@Zr-BTC is used as a fluorescent probe for CEES detections. The synthesized material shows fluorescence quenching under illumination at excitation wavelength of 470 nm when the F@Zr-BTC is exposed to CEES. This sensing material shows the highest fluorescence quenching at an emission wavelength of 534 nm with CEES concentration as low as 50 ppb. Therefore, the demonstrated sensing method with F@Zr-BTC offers a fast and convenient protocol for selective and sensitive detection of CEES in practical applications.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Facile and rapid synthesis of functionalized Zr-BTC for the optical detection of the blistering agent simulant 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES)
    (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021-02) Kim, Seonghwan; Abuzalat, Osama; Homayoonnia, Setareh; Wong, Danny; Tantawy, Hesham R
    2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) is a simulant for the chemical warfare agent, bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, also known as mustard gas. Here, we demonstrate a facile and rapid method to synthesize a functionalized metal-organic framework (MOF) material for the detection of CEES in trace level. While Zr-BTC is synthesized, in-situ encapsulation of fluorescent material (Fluorescein) into Zr-BTC voids is performed with a simple solvothermal reaction. The produced F@Zr-BTC is used as a fluorescent probe for CEES detections. The synthesized material shows fluorescence quenching under illumination at excitation wavelength of 470 nm when the F@Zr-BTC is exposed to CEES. This sensing material shows the highest fluorescence quenching at an emission wavelength of 534 nm with CEES concentration as low as 50 ppb. Therefore, the demonstrated sensing method with F@Zr-BTC offers a fast and convenient protocol for selective and sensitive detection of CEES in practical applications.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    High-Performance, Room Temperature Hydrogen Sensing With a Cu-BTC/Polyaniline Nanocomposite Film on a Quartz Crystal Microbalance
    (2019-01) Abuzalat, Osama; Wong, Danny; Park, Simon S.; Kim, Seonghwan
    In this paper, we demonstrate a high-performance hydrogen sensor under ambient conditions by growing a Cu-BTC/polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposite film on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) using intense pulsed light. The QCM was first sputter coated with a 200-nm-thin layer of copper. The copper layer was then oxidized by sodium hydroxide and ammonium persulfate. A solution containing the organic ligand (BTC) and PANI was then dropped and dried on the copper hydroxide surface of a QCM with intense pulsed light which resulted in Cu-BTC/PANI nanocomposite film on a QCM. The gas sensing performance of the Cu-BTC film and Cu-BTC/PANI composite film was compared under ambient conditions. It was found selectivity and sensitivity of the Cu-BTC/PANI nanocomposite film to hydrogen were significantly improved. In addition, a fast response time (from 2 to 5 s), operation at room temperature even in the presence of high relative humidity (up to 60%), good repeatability were achieved with the Cu-BTC/PANI nanocomposite film-grown QCM sensor.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    In situ encapsulation of ZrQ in UiO-66 (Zr-BDC) for pore size control to enhance detection of a nerve agent simulant dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP)
    (Wiley, 2022-06-08) Wong, Danny; Kim, Seonghwan; Abuzalat, Osama
    Chemical warfare agents are toxic chemicals that require rapid, easy-to-use, sensitive, and selective sensors to countermeasure. Simulants, such as dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP), are used to test the effectiveness of sensors toward nerve agents. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) offer large surface area and selective accessibility to active sites making them appealing for chemical sensing applications. In this work, we propose a fast, facile, direct synthesis method for manufacturing fluorescent MOFs with high sensitivity and selectivity. Zr-BDC is synthesized with 1, 4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) as an organic ligand and zirconium (Zr) metal. Fluorescent materials are then encapsulated in a novel and rapid in situ approach with strong solvents. X-ray diffraction, UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy are used to verify the successful formation of fluorescent MOFs. Compared to other methods, the gel synthesis method helps to control crystal growth leading to higher BET surface areas of ~1150 m2 g−1 for Zr-BDC and 850 m2 g−1 for ZrQ@Zr-BDC. Titration experiments show the sensitivity of the material to DMMP down to 8.3 nM with a highly linear response. Enhanced fluorescence and occupation of mesopores by ZrQ enable lower limit of detection than those of comparable works in literature. The encapsulation mechanism also prevents substantial defects that would otherwise lead to water adsorption.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Rapid Fabrication of Metal–Organic Framework Films from Metal Substrates Using Intense Pulsed Light
    (2018-01) Yim, Changyong; Abuzalat, Osama; Elsayed, Mohamed; Park, Simon; Kim, Seonghwan
    In this article, we demonstrate an innovative approach for the fabrication of uniform metal–organic framework (MOF) films on Cu or Zn metal substrates by using intense pulsed light (IPL). The metal substrates are first treated with a strong oxidizing agent to convert the metal to the corresponding metal hydroxide, then MOF films are prepared by in situ growth over the metal hydroxide surface with an organic ligand by multiple IPL irradiations at room temperature and ambient conditions. The metal hydroxide absorbs the light from IPL, which discharges an excessive energy with relatively short pulse duration (milliseconds), then converts the light to thermal energy. Four well-known MOF compounds, Cu-BTC, Cu-BDC, ZIF-8, and MOF-5 film, are successfully synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The effects of organic ligand concentration and IPL exposure time on MOF film synthesis are systematically investigated. The innovative fabrication method presented in this study offers many advantages such as short processing time, low cost process under ambient conditions, less use of consumable chemicals, and applicability to fabrication of other MOF films.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Sonochemical fabrication of Cu(II) and Zn(II) metal-organic framework films on metal substrates
    (2018-07) Abuzalat, Osama; Wong, Danny; Elsayed, Mohamed; Park, Simon; Kim, Seonghwan
    In this article, we demonstrate a rapid and facile method for in-situ growth of metal-organic framework (MOF) films on Cu or Zn metal substrates by sonochemical techniques. The substrates were first treated with a strong oxidizing agent to convert the metal to the corresponding metal hydroxide. Ultrasonic irradiation provided the energy to drive the reaction between the metal ion sources and organic ligands. Four MOF films (Cu-BTC, Cu-BDC, ZIF-8 and MOF-5) were successfully fabricated by this approach. The produced films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The effects of organic ligand concentration and ultrasonic irradiation time on MOF film synthesis were also systematically investigated. The rapid and facile fabrication method presented in this article could serve a new route to grow MOF films on various gas sensor surfaces. Of the MOF films, ZIF-8 film was tested as a potential methane sensor.